$195,000 Settlement for Getting Arrested at Work and Fired

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In 2021, Bennett Legal obtained a $195,000 settlement, putting $109,353.01 in our client’s pocket after paying attorney’s fees and all expenses.

Our client, Brookins, was arrested while working for a local Dallas Car Dealership after the Car Dealership’s owner accused Brookins of stealing a vehicle. Brookins was arrested in front of his co-workers and spent several hours in jail before being released when the police investigator found the allegedly stolen car on the Car Dealership’s lot.

Through the course of litigation, Bennett Legal discovered the Car Dealership’s own records showed the allegedly stolen car was on the lot at the time Brookins was arrested.

The Car Dealership required Brookins to sign a confidential arbitration agreement when he first started working less than a month before the arrest. So, after Bennett Legal filed a lawsuit alleging, among other things, discrimination and wrongful termination, the Car Dealership filed a motion with the Court to compel arbitration to try to keep the dispute secret and out of the public eye.

Bennett Legal responded by asking the Court to order three separate arbitrations that the Car Dealership must pay for in full and appoint the arbitrators. We also requested the Court order the Car Dealership’s owner pay for his arbitration personally, without any contribution from insurance.

After a contentious hearing in front of the Dallas County Judge, the Court granted Bennett Legal’s motion to split the arbitrations, required Defendants to pay the arbitration costs in full, appointed the three arbitrators, and required the owner to pay personally. Below is a copy of the Court’s order with the Defendants’ names redacted:. See also: what to expect at mediation.

Shortly after the Court signed the order, the parties went to mediation where the Defendants agreed to pay $195,000 to avoid the cost and probable accountability of arbitration against Brookins and Bennett Legal.

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